Multicolor web printing machine using endless band plate carriers



Dec. 23, 1952 F. J. TROZMULLER 2,622,522

I MULTICOLOR WEB PRINTING MACHINE USING E ESS BAND PLATE CARRIERS iled Sept. 30. 1949 Inluzufon z w zg a-Q M Patented Dec. 23, 1952 MULTICOLOR WEB PRINTING MACHINE USING ENDLESS BAND PLATE CARRIERS Friedrich Josef Triizmiiller, Vienna, Austria Application September 30, 1949, Serial No. 118,924 In Austria October 13, 1948 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to printin machines of the endless band type and refers more particularly to web printing machines by which printing is performed by means of flexible printing plates attached to endless bandor chain-conveyor means which are traveling over a plurality of guiding rollers whereby printing takes place on the straight stretches of the endless band printing plate carrier.

Printing machines of this type as heretofore known are adapted for rintin in one or more colors on one side only of the travelin paper web. There may be, however, a demand for printing on both sides of a paper web in one or more colors by means of a single machine in order to spare floor space and expenses which may be especially true in printing shops working on a larger scale.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a printing machine of the general type as set forth above in which two printing units working with flexible printing plate carriers of the endless bandor chain-conveyor type are combined in a common frame so as to enable alternative printing either on one side only of two paper webs traveling simultaneously through their respective printing units or otherwise on both sides of a single paper web passing successively through both of said units.

Another object of my invention resides in the provision of web guiding means for alternative guiding either two paper Webs from their supply rolls through said printing units to their respective rewind rolls (or otherwise to a sheet severing and piling device) or a single paper web from its supply roll through both printing units in succession to a rewind roll (or otherwise to a sheet severing and piling device) Another object of this invention resides in the symmetrical end-to-end arrangement of said printing units on opposite sides of a vertical cross-plane in said common frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide in one or each of both printing units an additional rotary printing device coacting with the main impression cylinder by which means insertprinting in a different color may be performed.

In lieu of this rotary type of the additional insert-printing device there may be arranged another flexible printing plate carrier of the endless bandor chain-conveyor type for performing printing in two colors in cooperation with the main flexible printing p a carrier.

Other objects and. advantages of the present invention will be clear from the following de- 2 scription of a preferred embodiment and a modification thereof, reference being made to the annexed drawing.

In said drawing: Fig. 1 represents a diagram of my printing machine showing (a) the paths of two paper webs fed simultaneously to their respective printing units for printing on one side of each web only, in full lines, and (b) the alternative paths. of single webs to be printed on both sides and: passing through both units in succession, in: broken and dotted lines; in either case the printed webs may be rewound on rolls or led to a sheet:

severing and piling device;

Fig. 2 is a part of a diagram showing the pro-- vision of two printing plate carriers of the end-- less bandor chain-conveyor type for printing; in two colors on one side of a single web.

In accordance with the invention and as shown in the illustrative diagrams the printin machine comprises two printing units arranged endto-end and symmetrically on both sides of a vertical cross-plane in a common frame. Each printing unit consists of a flexible printing plate carrier of the endless bandor chain-conveyor type l or 2, respectively, coacting with an impression cylinder 3 or 4, respectively, and is provided with an inking mechanism 5 (or 6).

With the printing units I, 3, 5 and 2, 4, B there are associated web supply rolls 1, 8, web rewind rolls 9, l0 and a common sheet piling device H with sheet cutting means l2. The impression cylinders 3 and 4 are located very close to the end of a straight stretch of the flexible printing plate carrier. In this way the use of an additional backing cylinder or drum is avoided, whereby printing, however, is performed on a straight stretch of the printing plate carrier, that is, ordinarily, at a distance of about lit millimeters from the end of said stretch.

Guide means or rollers 13 to 2| for the paper webs are arranged in such a way that (a) each printing unit works independently for printing on one side of each web A, B only, or (b) both printing units cooperate to give consecutive front and reverse side printing of a single web 0, or D.

In the case of independent printing on one side only the web A travels from the supply roll 1 over guide and deflecting rollers I 3, l4 and IE to and around the impression cylinder 3 and thence over the roller It to the rewind roll 9, or alternatively (A') over rollers ll, l8 and the sheet severing device [2 to the sheet piling means I I. Printing on the right-hand side of the machine assembly is efie'cted in a similar way. The paper web B then passes from the supply roll 8 over roller l9 to and around the impression cylinder 4 and thence over rollers 20 and 2| to the rewind roll In, or otherwise (B') to the sheet severing device l2 and sheet piling means I I.

When front and reverse side printing is required, either the supply roll I or 8 is used for the supply of paper. The web C, or D, then travels over guide rollers l3, 2|, impression cylinders 4, 3, guide rollers l1, [8 or alternatively over roller I9, cylinders 4, 3, rollers l1, l8 to the rewind roll I or otherwise to the sheet severin and piling device I2, H. The printing on the front side of the paper web is efiected by means of printing plate carrier I and on the reverse side by printing plate carrier 2 or vice versa.

An alternative method of printing may be effected by the provision of an additional insertprinting mechanism 22 and/or 23, known per se, to cooperate with the impression cylinders 3 and/or 4 thus avoiding the necessity for a special impression cylinder. By the arrangement of an additional printing plate carrier of the endless bandor chain-conveyor type in lieu of said insert-printing mechanism, having its own inking mechanism, two-color printing on one side as well as on both sides of a web is possible.

'I claim:

1. In a printing machine for web printing the arrangement of two printing units of the endless band type, each comprising flexible printing blocks, an endless conveyor band arranged as carrier of said printing blocks and adapted to run under tension over driving and guide rollers arranged parallel and substantially in a vertical plane and an impression cylinder co-acting with said endless band, said endless bands being arranged parallel to each other and said impression cylinders being arranged side by side between said flexible endless bands, the axes of said impression cylinders being positioned in the same horizontal plane and slightly below the axes of the upper roller of each said printing unit, whereby each impression cylinder coacts with its associated printing unit close to the end of a straight stretch of said flexible printing plate carrier, means for driving said printing units in the contrary sense, paper supply and re-wind rolls, a paper sheet stacking device, paper sheet cutting device and guiding means arranged in a fixed relation to said supply rolls, re-wind rolls and said impression cylinders for selectively guiding either two webs simultaneously and independently to their respective impression cylinders for printing on one side of each web and from the same to said re-wind rolls or to said cutting means and sheet stacking device, or a single web to both impression cylinders in direct succession for printing said single web on both sides and to said re-wind roll or said cutting means and sheet stacking device.

2. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1 the arrangement of at least one additional printing device of the endless band type being arranged substantially in a horizontal plane, said additional printing device having its own inking mechanism and co-a-cting with the respective impression cylinder.

3. In a printing machine as claimed in claim 1 the location of the impression cylinders very close to the end of a straight stretch of the endless flexible printing block carriers.

FRIEDRICH JOSEF TRZMiiLLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 769,296 Bender Sept. 6, 1904 1,018,151 Asmussen Feb. 20, 1912 1,052,473 Firm Feb. 11, 1913 1,223,347 Stoddard Apr. 17, 1917 1,683,133 Haliwell Sept. 4, 1928 2,048,483 Barber July 21, 1936 2,066,179 Keller Dec. 29, 1936 2,138,704 Matuschke Nov. 28, 1938 2,160,527 Tornberg May 30, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 470,817 France Oct. 1, 1914 

